Window changer



Sept. 22 1953 Filed ug- 7, 1950 Hal H. L. CUTLER WINDOW CH NGER 2 Shee s-sheet l INVE TOR' Se t. 22, 1953 H. L. CUTLER 2,652,937

WINDOW CHANGER Filed Aug. 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

Homer L. Cur/er INVEN TOR.

BY WW WM L Patented Sept. 22, 1953 PATENT OFFICE WINDOW CHANGER Homer L. Cutler, Newport Township, Marshall County, S. Dak.

Application August 7, 1950, Serial No. 178,032

Claims. 1

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a window changer and more specifically pertains to a portable ladder hoist attachment adapted for attachment to various conventional and varying sizes of ladders to adapt the same for use as a hoist for raising or lowering window sash, and other objects.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an attachment which may be readily applied to conventional existing ladders for adapting the same to function as a portable hoist, particularly for use with windows and in conjunction with vertical supporting surfaces in general.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a portable ladder hoist attachment by means of which the upper end ofa ladder may be securely anchored to various supporting surfaces, particularly vertical surfaces and especially smooth vertical surfaces without marring or damaging the same and without danger of slippage of the ladder.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a portable ladder hoist in conformity with the foregoing objects in which the attachment includes a support frame easily applied to remove from the side rails of a ladder, which support frame is capable of a convenient and easy lateral adjustment to accommodate itself to different sizes of ladders; and to adapt the support frame for use with different widths of supporting surfaces.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide an improved portable ladder hoist as set forth in the foregoing objects in which an improved supporting means is provided for gripping and holding a window sash or similar object; and for conveniently raising or lowering the window sash.

And a final important object to be specifically enumerated herein, resides in the provision of a portable ladder hoist as set forth in the preceding objects in which a guide means is provided to facilitate the raising or lowering of window sash and the like by the device.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a suitable embodiment of the apparatus incorporating therein the principles of this invention, the same being illustrated as applied to a window frame for raising or lowering a storm sash or the like, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing certain structural details of the adjustable support frame forming an essential part of the invention;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 1 and illustrating a supporting clip for a window sash to be lifted by the device; and,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a cradle for supporting the lower end of a window sash in accordance with this invention.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the numeral l0 designates any desired supporting surface such as the side of a building or the like with which it is desired to use the present device, the same including a window frame l2 in which it is desired to install a window sash, storm screen or the like as at [4. It is to be of course understood that the device can be employed with other supporting surfaces and it is not limited to use with a wall Hi, nor is it limited to its application to a window frame, although the same is particularly efiicacious for this purpose, and the device can be employed to lift other objects than window sash, storm sash or the like I4, as for lifting buckets or other cleaning and scrubbing equipment, paint and similar objects if desired.

The portable ladder hoist whose specific structure forms the subject of this invention, comprises a substantially conventional form of ladder I6 of any known and desired character and of various sizes, lengths and materials as desired, the invention being equally applicable to the same, the ladder necessarily including a pair of side rails l8 having the customary ladder rungs 20 therebetween.

Detachably secured to the upper end of the side rails I8, is a support frame indicated generally by the numeral 22 and which includes a support bar 24 which is preferably of a tubular construction and which has suitably secured thereto in any desired manner a rotatable pulley suitable set screws 30 are provided in the sleeve members for fixedly securing the same to the ends of the support bar 24 in adjusted position.

A pair of brackets 32, which may be conveniently formed of sheet metal or the like and. of a U-shaped construction are provided, each of these brackets removably embracing a side rail l8 of the ladder, the brackets being adjustably and releasably clamped thereto as by set screws 34. As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the brackets extend laterally from the side rails to thus provide offset supporting plates through which extend the above mentioned sleeves 28. which are welded or otherwise rigidly attached to these plates as at 36, see Figure 3.

As so far described, it will be apparent that by loosening the set screws 30, and theset'screws34, the sleeves 28 may be adjusted to or from each other as required in order thatxtherbra'cketse 32? may be embraceably applied to or may be removed from the side rails I8 at any desired'posi tion along the length of the same, whereupon the set screws 34 may be clamped to securely and but removably attach the brackets to the side'rra-ils ofithe ladder. When-the support-bar 24 has been properly positioned in the supporting sleeves: 28', the set screws 30' may be clamped thereby locking thesupportl bar rigidly in positions. and further. bracing the support frame upon theladder. Preferably, although not-necessarily, the pulley 26 will be supported substantially midway between the? two siderails 18 of thelad'der, although it. will be apparent that this position can beivaried'as expediency dictates;

The support: frame further includes support means by which the support frame maybe attachedito'the supporting surface. ill or l2in an improved manner. This support means comprises a pair of shaftsiflwhich are-slidably receiyed in the ends of the support bar Z'A and are longitudinally adjustable therein and may be lockedin: adjusted. position asby a set" screw 38 at eachen'd of the supportbarr At their'out'e'r ends, the shafts 31 are'provid'ed' with U-shaped' legscomprising a lateral member; Mlwhich is integrally secured at its mid point tosthe endofithe shaft-31', and constitutes the web or mid portion of the U-shaped. legs, the ends of the member 40.: having parallel. legs 42 I which are provided-with suction cups or'the'likefl.

As willbe apparent from Figure 1', the support means. can bereadilyadjusted in order: to posi-- tionithe=' Ul-shaped legs for engagementtuponth'e window frame 12- or any other'particularportion of the supporting: surface, whereupon the suction cups will securely attachv the support frame'to the: supportingsurface-without. danger of mar ring the finish of the'same;

Referring now more specifically to Figures 4 and-.5, itwillbe seen. that the device further includes meansfor supporting a window frameor sash in-order that the-samemay be-raisedfor low eredas desired; This support mean's includes a" cradle indicatedgenerallyby the numeral-'46; this cradle comprising a horizontally extending bar 48s ofzany suitable material and which is prefer-- ably disposed in parallelism with .thelowe'rfedge of. the-window sash M" tobehandled. bythe device,.the.ends of this bar having. upturned-poitions 50: Whichterminate in lifting eyes "or hooks 52. At its'ends;v and: at any other-convenientlo= cations as-intermediat'e its ends; the:- bar Mlis'. provided with depending U-shaped hooks- 1" which areadapted to embrace and receive. the? lower edgeof: the window sash M, as will be. readily apparent from'Figures l and-2.

A pair of. U-shaped clips- 56- which. if desired:

may be of a resilient nature, are provided for embracing the side edges of the window sash H, these clips having eye members 58 disposed in the angular relation shown in Figure 1. A supporting sling, preferably in the form of a cable or the like 60 is provided which is threaded through the eyes 58 and has its extremities anchored to the. hook portions. 52 of. the. cradle 46, the mid portion of the sling, constituting the upper end' of the same, being suitably connected to the end of a hoisting cable 62 which is entrained over the pulley 26. As will now be apparent, by means: of'the cradle, the clips and the sling, the Window sash or storm sash l4 may be readily raisedzor' lowered by the device without danger of dropping the same.

However in order to further facilitate the handling of the usually unwieldy storm windows and the like, especially in windy weather, a guide means is provided consisting of a pair of cables 64 whose upper ends are attached to the shaft 31; which extend through the eyes 58'' as shown in Figures 2 and 4, and its lower ends are attached to suitable hooks 65' upon the side rails 18% It will now beapparent that twisting or free swinging movement of the member Hl'is' prevented as the same is raised or lowered by the lad-- der hoist hereinbefore describedi From the foregoing, the-construction and operation of the device together with its many advantages will be readily apparent and further ex-- planation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consid'erationof theforegoing specification and accompanying drawings, it isnot desired tolimitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling withinthe scope of 'the'appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable ladder hoist comprising a support frame for attaching the upper end of a ladder toa vertical support surface, a cradle for supporting the lower edge of a window sash or thelike for raising the same, asling connected to said cradle, lifting means connected to said sling and to said support frame, said support frame having brackets each detachably secured to theside-rail of aladder, sleeves carried by the like for raising the same, a sling connected to" said: cradle; lifting means connected to said sling and to" said support frame, saidsupport: frame having bracketsz each detachably' secured:

to theside'rail of a ladder, sleeves carried by said: brackets,- a support rodslidably' received in said sleeves, support means slidablym'ounted:

on-said support rod, said meanscomprising a shaft telescopinglyreceived in said; support rod,

U-shaped legs-on'saidshaft.

3; A portable" ladder hoist comprising a'support" frame for attaching. the upper end of. ,a-

ladder to" avertical support surface, a cradle for supporting the'lower'edge of. a window' sash: or the'like for raising; thesame, a sling. con

nected' to said: cradle, lifting-means connected to: said: sling and to said: support frame, U;-

shaped clips for embracing the side edges of a window sash, eyes on said clips, said sling being slidably received through said eyes, guide means connected to said support frame and to the ladder and slidable through said eyes.

4. A portable ladder hoist comprising a support frame for attaching the upper end of a ladder to a vertical support surface, a cradle for supporting the lower edge of a window sash or the like for raising the same, a sling connected to said cradle, lifting means connected to said sling and to said support frame, U-shaped clips for embracing the side edges of a window sash, eyes on said clips, said sling being slidably received through said eyes, said support frame having brackets each detachably secured to the side rail of a ladder, sleeves carried by said brackets, a support rod slidably received in said sleeves, support means slidably mounted on said support rod,

5. An attachment for raising window sashes or the like comprising a cradle for supporting the lower edge of a window sash or the like for raising the same, a sling connected to said cradle and to a lifting means, said cradle comprising a longitudinal horizontal bar adapted for disposal in parallelism with the lower edge of a window sash, lifting hooks at the ends of said bar engaged by said sling, U-shaped hooks depending from said bar for embracingly supporting the lower edge of a window sash, U-shaped clips for embracing the side edges of a window sash, eyes on said clips, and said sling being slidably received through said eyes.

HOMER L. CUTLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 738,164 Cody Sept. 8, 1903 799,782 Ellinger Sept. 19, 1905 1,802,227 Welter Apr. 21, 1931 2,136,255 Scanlon Nov. 8, 1938 2,364,224 Keller Dec. 5, 1944 2,412,396 Hanna Dec. 10, 1946 

